Peaches are available at the local farmers’ markets this weekend. 14th & U is Saturdays and Dupont on Sundays. (Alejandra Owens)

From Alejandra Owens. You can find her at Twitter at @frijolita or her food blog One Bite At A Time.

It’s the perfect weekend to grab a cooler bag, an ice pack and head to one of Washington’s numerous outdoor green spots for a good old-fashioned picnic.

Everyone focuses on the meat at a picnic, but I say the sides make the picnic. A cold, creamy potato salad is a must — and this potato salad with red onions (my favorite onion) includes pickles (add some pickle juice if you want to get extra fancy) which only makes it better.

If a cold pasta salad sounds tired and old, gussy it up by making this Mediterranean Orzo Salad from food blogger Not Derby Pie. Buttery cannellini beans and pungent sun dried tomatoes balance out this pasta dish to make it (much) more exciting than your average slimy pasta salad.